Tube end forming machine



May 24, 1949. c. EISLER 2,

I TUBE END FORMING MACHINE x I Filed Jan. 26, 1945 :5 Sheets-sheaf].

INVENTDR' C'l/ARLE: E/J'LER An a/way May 24, 1949. c. EISLER V TUBE END FORMING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Filed Jan. 26, 1945 ililllllllllllill Y /A// A W: a

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TORWE) C. EISLER TUBE END FORMING MACHINE May 24, 1949.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3- Filed Jan. 26, 1945 IIIIIIII'I-IIHIIL a g0 I n muunti .R E M fi m N 1. IS A m. m (w Patented May 24, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TUBE END FORMING MACHINE Charles Eisler, South Orange, N. J. Application January'26, 1945, Serial No. 574,800

4 Claims.

This invention relates to tube forming machines. An object of this invention is to provide a forming tool for incorporation in a tube forming machine, said forming tool, in operation, forming the ends of tubes in a rapid, efficient and novel manner. It has been the practice in this art to form only one end of the tube at one run through the machine, and to then reverse the tube and run it through the machine a second. time to form the other end. This procedure was costly and time consuming.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine incorporating forming tool units which will permit both ends to be formed on tubes at one run through the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine which is of such structure as to be adjustable for use in connection with tubes of different lengths and diameters.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a tube end forming machine embodying my invention,

Fig. 2is an enlarged fragmentary, partly sectional elevational view of one of the forming tools of said machine and associated parts shown in the operative position, the inoperative position being indicated in dotted lines,

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the forming end of said tool, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig.4 is an enlarged longitudinal, fragmentary, partly sectional view of the forming tool in the inoperative position,

Fig. 5 is a similar view thereof in its initially operative position,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the adjustable forming tool and associated parts incorporated in the machine of Fig. 1,

Fig. '7 is a sectional elevational view-of the main support for said tool showing one form of height adjusting..means taken on line 1-? of Fig. 6,

Fig. Bis a fragmentary, sectional elevational view taken on line S-8 of Fig. 6, and

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of a tube shown at A before and at B after the same has been passed through the machine of my invention and subjected to end forming operations therein.

My invention is especially adapted for use in connection with-tubes such as the fluorescent tubes shown in Fig. 9; the invention may be used in connection with other objects which may be adapted to have oneor both ends thereof formed in the machine herein disclosed.

In the. drawings'wherein parts of similar physical features and functions are correspondingly numberei-there-is shown-a machine embodying my i nven-tion, said machine including the table l0 having the hopper H to initially receive the tubes A and-from which the tubes pass on to the conventional tube-rotating and dwelling deviceby any-suitable forwarding-mechanism, exempli- 2 fied in the drawings by the notched rails [2 pick up, forward and which end by any suitable means, those skilled in this art. dwelling device includes are actuated to that as will be apparent to The tube rotating and the roller discs it at the adjustable side H9 of.

actuated from main drive shaft 20, the shaftl chain drive 2 la and belt 22 being driven by means of worm drive 2! of the motor 23. The de'scrip-Q tion of chain-driven parts herein is intended many possible forms merely to illustrate one of of power means, for convenience in illustrating-- the invention to the machine the application of shown in the drawings. The disc shafts are journalled at opposite ends in the fixed supports 24 and 25 and are slidably journalled intermediate their ends in the movable support 25. The 1 support 26 is movable relative to support 25 by any suitable means as by the hand-wheel Z'Lon' the screw shaft 28 which is journalled at 29 in the fixed support 2E and has screw engagement with the movable support 26 at 30.

As indicated by dotted lines, the ends of tubes overhang the disc rollers at either side and are held in alignment by the aligning-rail 3[ adjustably mounted relative to support 25in bear ings 3!, and by the fixed aligning rail 32'; The ends of the tubes are heated to the required degree of plasticity by the fixed burners 33'at the fixed side I20 of the machine and by the burners 34 at the adjustable side l IS, the latter burners being mounted in the manifold 35 which is movably mounted relative to support 25. The burners are supplied with a mixture of gas, air and-oxygen or other heating medium by ducts 36 and 31.

The forming tool illustrated in Fig. 2 has the plunger shaft 38 provided at one end with the forming die 39 which has the circumferential flange 40. Plunger shaft 38 is nonrotatably and slidably arranged in bearing ll of the main. tool support t2. It is actuated to insert the die 39 into the end of the tube A by the lever it bearing on lug 44 which is slidably. keyed on the plunger shaft, the spring 45 being interposed between the lug 44 and a collar 46 securedon the plunger shaft by the set screw 41, for the purpose of easing the insertion and retraction of the forming die 39.

The plunger shaft is retracted after-the-form-- ing operation responsive to spring it-interposed between collar 49 and extension support 50 (Figi 2). Its forward travel is limited onabutment of a stop means, such as the adjustable "pins-5| in deposit the glass blanks: from one dwelling station to the next, and whichl5} which are driven by the usual]: transmissions such as are well known in the glass formingart. The shafts are collar m fixed to shaft 38, with the main tool support. The plunger shaft has the reduced end portion 52 on which sleeve 53 is rotatably mounted, said sleeve having keyed thereto the 5:1 meshing with driving gear 55 on drive shaft On sleeve 53 is fixed bracket 5? having the t slots 58 in which are slidably retained the rol. carrying blocks 59, at one end of which the forming rollers 60 are rotatably mounted. Said blocks (and the forming rollers 60) are normally urged radially to the outer ends of the slots 53 of bracket 51 by springs 62 or the like. At their other ends the roller blocks 59 are provided with the friction rollers 6|. In order to bring the forming rollers toward the forming die 39 and into their operative position, the blocks 59 are moved toward the inner ends of the slots 58 of bracket 5:? against the tension of springs 62 by engagement of the conical inner face 63 of the cone with the friction rollers 5| To this end the cone 6t, which is preferably screwed on the sleeve 53a and locked in place by lock nut 65 is moved forward (that is in toward glass blank A) by clutch fork 6S mounted on clutch shaft 61. The clutch shaft 5? has slidable bearing in the main tool support 32 (Fig. 6) and is moved forward by lever 58 engaging lug 69 which is slidably keyed on the clutch shaft, the spring if) being interposed between lug and the fixed collar ll-an arrangement corresponding to that on plunger shaft. The cone (it is retracted by the clutch shaft responsive to the spring 12 (which was compressed during the for- Ward stroke) spring i2 being interposed between the extension support 50 and collar 13 fixed to shaft 61.

As during the forming operation, the rotation of the glass tube would normally be retarded and even stopped by adhesion of the end of tube A to the non-rotating die 39. The glass tube is kept turning by the overhead asbestos roller it, which is raised after the forming operation. The asbestos roller is journalled in bracket Z5 which is maintained in its vertical position by the para la] levers 76 pivoted at opposite ends in the bracket 15 as at i? and in the main tool support at The asbestos roller 14 is raised and lowered by member 79 pivoted at 19 to the bell crank the latter being pivoted at 80 to the lug 8i of the main tool support and having pivotal connection 82 with collar 33 fixed to the plunger shaft.

When the plunger shaft moves back, and thereby retracts the entire forming device, the bell crank will be turned (as shown dotted in Fig. 2 and by the arrow in Fig. 4) and the parallel levers l6 and asbestos roller 14 will thereby be raised.

The asbestos roller is driven by a chain drive which includes the drive sprocket 84 on the drive shaft 55, the driven sprocket 85 on shaft 86 ion-- nalled in the main tool support and the universal jointed transmission shaft 8?, the latter compile-- ing slidably coupled portions terminations in universal joints connecting the shaft for the asbestos roller M with the shaft of sprocket 85.

Overhead heating of the glass tube during forming is effected by the overhead burner 86 fed through gas duct 89 which is carried in brackets 90 on the parallel levers 76. The burner 88 thus moves with the asbestos roller and ineffective as long as the roller is up.

Fig. 4 shows the relative position of the form rollers 60 and die 39 during the inactive p the arrows indicating the directions in which the parts have moved to their inactive position. The forming rollers have moved radially outward away from die 39 and the cone 64 has been re- 4 tracted with respect to the forming rollers. The bell crank 80, shown schematically, has elevated the asbestos roller 14 clear of the tube A.

Fig. 5 shows the forming tool at the commencement of the operative period. The plunger shaft 38 has been advanced to carry the die 39 inside the end of the glass tube A, turning the bell crank to lower the asbestos roller i l. The forming rollers 86 remain in their outermost position relative to the die 39 until the clutch shaft is"? is actuated to advance the cone 64 into engagement with rollers 8|.

In Fig. 2 the tool is shown in operation. The clutch shaft 61 has advanced the cone st toward bracket 5? so that the forming rollers 89 move radially inwardly toward die 39 and down on the neck of the tube.

In the construction described, the cone B l is rotatably arranged on the sleeve 53 so that the cone may run freely, to creep around the sleeve, and consequently the wear caused by the friction rollers 5! will be distributed all over the inner cone surface 63, avoiding scoring which would occur if the cone did not rotate; scoring would adversely afiect the exact spacing of the forming rollers The levers t3 and 68 are provided with cam surfaces to be engaged .by cams 93 and 93, 93', 94' respectively (Fig. 8) on cam shaft 95 for the ad justable tool Ill and cam shaft 96 for the fixed tool I it, both cam shafts being driven from main drive shaft Ed by bevel gears 9i and 98.

The machine is designed to handle tubes in a wide range of lengths, for example from 15" to 60'" in length; the main tool support 42 is shifted inward and outward in gibs 99 retaining base plate it!) of the support.

The adjustable tool ii! is driven as follows (Figs. 6 and 3):

Shafts i6 and l! are extended outward and have bearing in the separate supports mi and 532 respectively. On shaft it is mounted sprocket i343 (Fig. 8) which (by chain Hi l over sprocket i 35) drives countershaft N6 in support liJl. On countershaft 566 is mounted sprocket lot which by chain I99 drives sprocket ill] on tool drive shaft 56.

For moving tools inward plunger shaft 38, drive shaft 56 and clutch shaft 61 are extended outward through supports 50 and H I on extension plate H2.

Shafts 38 and 6'! are splined in their supports by spline grooves I I3 and l M respectively.

Fixed tool H8 is driven the same way but its shafts l8 and I9 are not extended.

All shaft supports can be adjusted vertically for different diameter tubing by adjusting screws H5 and lock nuts H6 or similar means.

In Fig. 1 the parts of the machine at the side HS thereof, including the tool forming unit H7, are adjustable relative to the complementary or corresponding parts at the fixed side I20 of the machine, so as to accommodate the machine for the reception of tubes of various lengths.

The term adjustable applied to tool H1 is intended to indicate that the tool I I? may be moved laterally relative to the fixed support 24 to correspond with the particular length of the tube or other objects to be formed in the machine. The manifold 35 may be movably mounted in any manner in which parts may be moved. The means to movably mount the same are not specifically claimed and may be any means suitable to the purpose. It is possible to adjustably mount the too] i I! while maintaining its association with the actuating and driving means for its parts, by virtue of the fact that the parts, such as 46 and Ma, the sprocket St for the chain, the bracket 51, etc., (see Fig. 2), are mounted by set screws. The member 26 supports the disc shafts intermediate the fixed supports 24 and 2%. It would be desirable to so position the support 26 that it would be relatively adjacent the aligning rail 3! and the position of the latter would depend upon the particular width of tubes bein run through the machine.

The machine of my invention is adapted to form both ends of tubes by the forming tools i IT and I 8 at one run through the machine and to accommodate tubes of various lengths, and

diameters.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a tool for forming the end of a tube, a bearing, a plunger shaft slidably arranged in said bearing, a forming die fixed to one end of said shaft, a flange on said forming die, means on said shaft to reciprocate the same in said bearing to advance and retract the forming die relative to the end of the tube, a bracket mounted on said shaft, roller members slidably mounted on said bracket in alignment with said forming die for cooperation therewith to form the end of the tube on said die and against said flange, means on said bracket engaging the rollers to normally urge the latter away from the forming die, a cone mounted on said shaft and adapted, on engagement with said roller members, to move the latter toward the forming die for cooperation therewith to form the end of the tube, and means engaging said cone to move the same into and out of engagement with said roller members.

2. In a tool for forming the end of a tube, a bearing, a plunger shaft slidably arranged in said bearing, a forming die fixed to one end of said shaft, a flange on said forming die, means on said shaft to reciprocate the same in said bearing to advance and retract the forming die relative to the end of the tube, a bracket mounted on said shaft, roller members slidably mounted on said bracket in alignment with said forming die for cooperation therewith to form the end of the tube on said die and against said flange, means on said bracket engaging the roller members to normally urge the latter away from the forming die, a cone mounted on said shaft and adapted, on engagement with said roller members, to move the latter toward the forming die for cooperation therewith .to form the end of the tube, and means engaging said cone and shaft to move the same into and out of engagement with said roller members, to advance the forming die toward the tube and move the roller members toward the forming die, in unison.

3. In a tool for forming the end of a tube, a bearing, a plunger shaft slidably arranged in said bearing, a forming die fixed to one end of said shaft, a flange on said forming die, means on said shaft to reciprocate the same in said bearing to advance and retract the forming die relative to the end of the tube, a bracket mounted on said shaft, roller members slidably mounted on said bracket in alignment with said forming die for cooperation therewith to form the end of the tube on said die and against said flange, means on said bracket engagin the rollers to normally urge the latter away from the forming die, a cone mounted on said shaft and adapted, on engagement with said roller members, to move the latter toward the forming die for cooperation therewith to form the end of the tube, and means engaging said cone to move the same into and out of engagement with said roller members, a bracket pivoted to said bearing, a tube heating member carried by the bracket and normally disposed sufiiciently adjacent the forming die to heat the tube to be formed thereon, means connecting the plunger shaft and bracket for movement thereof in unison, and means to actuate said connecting means, whereby, when the plunger shaft is moved toward the tube end, the bracket will pivot to carry the tube heating member sufficiently adjacent the die to heat the end of the tube being formed, and, when the plunger shaft is retracted away from the tube end, the bracket will be pivoted to carry the tube heating member away from the tube end.

4. In a tool for forming the end of a tube, a bearing, a plunger shaft slidably arranged in said bearing, a forming die fixed to one end of said shaft, a flange on said forming die, means on said shaft to reciprocate the same in said bearing to advance and retract the forming die relative to the end of the tube, a bracket mounted on said shaft, roller members slidably mounted on said bracket in alignment with said forming die for cooperation therewith to form the end of the tube, on said die and against said flange, means on said bracket engaging the rollers to normally urge the latter away from the forming die, a. cone mounted on said shaft and adapted, on engagement with said roller members, to move the latter toward the forming die for cooperation therewith to form the end of the tube, and means engaging said cone to move the same into and out of engagement with said roller members, a bracket pivoted to said bearing, a tube heating member carried by the bracket and normally disposed sufiiciently adjacent the forming die to heat the tube to be formed thereon, means connecting the plunger shaft and bracket for movement thereof in unison, and means to actuate said connecting means, whereby, when the plunger shaft is moved toward the tube end, the bracket will pivot to carry the tube heating member sufficiently adjacent the die to heat the end of the tube being formed, and, when the plunger shaft is retracted away from the tube end, the bracket will be pivoted to carry the tube heating member away from the tube end and means carried by the bracket to engage the tube to rotate the latter when the bracket is pivoted to the position in which the tube heating member heats the end of the tube.

CHARLES EISLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 645,189 Rudolph Mar. 13, 1900 928,618 Wilzin July 20, 1909 1,914,205 Hooper et a1 June 13, 1933 2,234,302 Dichter Mar. 11, 194 2,284,089 Hahn et a1. May 26, 1942 2,364,673 Stuckert et al Dec. 12, 1944 2,394,115 Snyder Feb. 5, 1946 

